Hippo : Wildlife Southern Africa
Hippos are the most feared animals in southern Africa. Each year more people are killed by them than by all the other animals together.
Hippos weigh up to two tons and can be four metres long. Hippos are vegetarians and feed exclusively on grass.
Hippos watch strictly over their territories and threaten anybody invading it by what looks like yawning. If the invader does not withdraw, they usually attack without any further hesitation. Smaller boats are particularly at risk, because a rhino can easily topple it over, and as their front teeth are as sharp as razorblades, chances of survival are slim.
Game reserves: Hippos are numerous in the St. Lucia Wetlands Park (Natal), in the Kruger Park, in the Caprivi reserves and in the Chobe Park (Botswana).
Related Travel Information
Wildlife in Southern Africa
South Africa is quite justly proud of its rich natural heritage, which is being diligently protected in the many nature reserves and national parks. The country is home to more than 300 mammal species, over 500 bird species, over 100 kinds of reptiles and countless insects.
Not all the animals are easy to watch. Besides the fact that many species are night-active, season, place, wheather and, of course, luck play a part as well. To observe and photograph animals, always requires a lot of patience and also good lenses with a long focal distance.
Explore the animal
Snakes : Wildlife Southern Africa
In all areas of South Africa, there are different species of snakes, most of them harmless, but some extremely venomous.
The Cape Cobra on the right is one of the more dangerous kinds. Its bite paralyses the muscles, respiration and eventually heart failure. One can recognize the snake by its flat throat. If disturbed, it raises its upper body and takes on a threatening posture. The probability of encountering such a poisonous snake is very small, since they all, except the puffadder, quickly disappear as soon as they sense the slightest movement.
Nevertheless, one should never go for
Crocodiles : Wildlife Southern Africa
Survivors of the dinosaur age, crocodiles are found in the warmer waters of Africa, Asia, Australia, and America. Crocodiles are often confused with alligators, but you can tell them apart by the shape of their tapered snout, and by the way crocodiles' lower teeth stick out when their jaws are closed.
Crocodiles vary in size. The saltwater crocodile measures up to 10 m in length, while others are no more than 1 m long. Hunted extensively for their skins, large crocodiles are becoming increasingly rare.
Cheetah: Wildlife Southern Africa
Cheetahs are the fastest of all the land animals. They have been clocked at sprinting speeds of 114km/h. Cheetahs can bring down their prey after a short-coursing hunt, but would not be able to chase another animal to death over longer distances.
Cheetahs are known to be sight-hunters and can be watched hunting in the mornings or late afternoons. When they eventually kill their prey, they are often totally out of breath for awhile, and since they are the weakest of all the animals of prey, a bigger predator can easily snatch their prey away from them.
Cheetahs are
Buffalo : Wildlife Southern Africa
Habitat: Buffalo are extremely adaptable animals, being able to occupy open grasslands, wooded savanna and thickets.
Habits: Highly gregarious animals, buffalo associate in herds of up to 1000 or more individuals. Despite being very aggressive and extremely dangerous animals (more hunters are killed by buffaloes than any other animal), buffaloes are very peaceful amongst themselves. The dominant bull normally is the oldest bull in the herd. Both sexes have horns, but those of males are more robust and heavier. Males can attain a mass of about 800 kg and they have a life span of approximately
